Choi spent a couple days at The Concession the weekend before last to practice before heading to New York to begin defense of her U.S. Women's Open crown this weekend.

Choi, who owns a home outside Orlando, where she is a member of Isleworth Golf & Country Club, became a member of The Concession earlier this year.

She was referred to The Concession by Kevin Smeltz, one of her coaches, who is affiliated with golf instructor guru David Leadbetter.

Choi's business manager, Greg Morrison, said that Choi has made four trips to The Concession this year.

“It's very peaceful, I played this course a couple of times, it's very challenging,” Choi, 24, said last Friday.

“Every time I come here, they prepare very well for green speed and fairway grass condition, so I love to come here.”

The reason she made an effort to get to The Concession ahead of the 2013 U.S. Women's Open is that the designer of The Concession course, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, also designed the course at Sebonack Golf Club, in Southampton, N.Y., on Long Island.

So there are similar features to the courses, like the contour of the greens and the blind shots off the tee.

“I like around the green sides, this is helpful for course management,” Choi said. “The course is pretty difficult. A lot of holes are blind holes from the tee shot. It's good for the driver shot, to get used to it for the tournament.

“I went to Sebonack already. It sends kind of the same imaging, that golf course's greens and these greens, so I think it might help a lot.”

Morrison said that the two-hour trip to The Concession is also a relief for Choi, whom he said does a majority of her practice at Isleworth.

“It's a little change of pace to come down here, it's dead quiet,” Morrison said. “It's nice to get away from the house and have private quiet time. It's just pure golf here.”

Morrison explained how Choi came to select The Concession.

“She needed to find a place with good golf balls, a good short game facility. Good wind, not too strong, not too weak. Good grass,” he said. “A place like this, you're really able to develop your creativity.”

Choi needs to be as best prepared as she can, knowing what lies ahead, as a defending champion of a major tournament.

“This year, a lot of people expect me to play well again,” Choi said. “Even myself, I have a lot of expectation in the U.S. Women's Open.

“It's not easy for me, to get off from all the pressure. But I'm trying to think positively and use that pressure in a positive way.”

Choi is able to be discerning, because last year she won the tournaments with the two highest purses on the LPGA Tour, the U.S. Open and the CME Group Titleholders in Naples last November, taking home more than $1 million combined.

The CME Group Titleholders victory was the seventh of her six-year LPGA career.

She has five top-10 finishes this year, but no victories, winning $399,403.

Even though she is working her way toward elite status, Choi is hardly the best known Korean golfer and does not yet have a big following.

Choi has a handful of sponsorship deals, Morrison said, including arrangements with a Korean telecom company, an investment bank, a clothing company and her home course back in Korea.

“When I play even in the top 20 or 30, there's no crowd in my group,” Choi said. “If I finish in the top 20, on Sunday, there's nobody. Everybody is cheering for the last group, or the Americans.

“I don't think about it negatively because that's very natural. But I have to accept what happened. It's more comfortable here.”

The LPGA points leader is Inbee Park, who has won four tournaments and more than $1.2 million in prize money already this year.

“There's so many good players in Korea, right now, like Imbee Park,” Choi said. “She's No.1 in the world right now. A lot of junior golfers watch golf. There's so many good Korean players on TV, almost like 40 players (from Korea) on tour.

“If some junior golfers watch me on TV and play or like have a dream, I'd be really happy and honored. But there are so many good players. So it's hard to say.”

Tom Balog

Tom Balog is a reporter for HT Golf. Contact him via email, or at (941) 315-0764.

Last modified: June 24, 2013
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